Press Releases, 09/11/2012 | Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland

Work for a comprehensive international arms trade treaty continues

The 67th UN General Assembly First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) approved a resolution for negotiations on finalising the international Arms Trade Treaty, ATT.

The resolution will result in organising another UN Conference on 18-28 March 2013, where the ATT will be completed on the basis of the draft treaty achieved in July this year. The goal still is to achieve a treaty that is based on unanimity.

The seven original initiator countries (Finland, Argentina, Australia, Costa Rica, the UK, Japan and Kenya) of the arms trade treaty process have actively and harmoniously driven the resolution forward and sourced supporters for it.

“I am very pleased with the adopted resolution and Finland's contribution to it. Our work for a strong and comprehensive treaty will continue. We want a legally binding treaty for global monitoring and controlling trade of conventional weapons”, says Minister for Foreign Affairs Erkki Tuomioja and continues by thanking the cooperation with NGOs.

The resolution was co-sponsored by 103 countries and voted in favour by
157 countries, which gives a good basis for achieving the treaty.